With Recirculation Of Gas Or Vapor Patents (Class 34/477)
  • Patent number: 8991068
    Abstract: Energy efficiencies are achieved in a dryer or washer/dryer by selectively varying temperature ranges, time periods, heater power levels, and air flow rates. Efficiency improvements on the order of 16% were obtained over typical constant power, constant temperature, timed drying cycles by varying one or more of these parameters. Efficiencies can also be improved by drawing air from alternative warm sources such as an attic or warm external environment, or by heat recovery from dryer exhaust passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Venkat Ramprasad Lakkineni, Martin Mitchell Zentner, Sanjay Manohar Anikhindi, Steve Bernard Froelicher, Nicholas Okruch, Jr., Michael Thomas Beyerle, Joshua Stephen Wiseman, Nemetalla Salameh
  • Patent number: 8978269
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hybrid drying system where a cold-air drier and a desiccant drier are combined to increase drying efficiency (extent of dehumidification/power consumption), thereby shortening drying time and significantly reducing operation costs. The hybrid drying system includes a desiccant drier installed between an evaporator and a condenser and having an absorbing part configured to produce dry air from the cold-air dried air which has passed through the evaporator and a detaching part configured to supply recycled air heated by the condensation heat of the condenser as a recycling heat source; a heat exchanger configured to heat-exchange exterior air with recycled exhaust air with the recycled air to retrieve exhaust heat; and a control unit configured to simultaneously control a cold-air drying operation and a desiccant drying operation according to the humidity and temperature of the drying chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Air-Tech Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seung Tae Park, Hue Jae Kim, Hyun Woong Choi, Kyung Rok Yoo, Dong Hyuk Kim
  • Patent number: 8925217
    Abstract: Method for steam recapture in the drying of a tissue paper web with a cylinder that is fed from a live steam network and with a hot air hood that flows hot air onto the tissue paper web, includes the steps of: removing condensate from the cylinder; compressing the condensate to a first pressure level essentially corresponding to that of the live steam network; heating the condensate by heat exchange with the exhaust air from the hot air hood; vaporizing the condensate; and feeding generated steam into the live steam network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Martin Wiens, Bruno Dexler, Jan Hieke, Josef Heintz
  • Publication number: 20150000156
    Abstract: A spray dryer exhaust gas treatment system and process recovers waste heat, removes odors from the exhaust gas, or both. The spray dryer may be used to dry digestate from an anaerobic digester. Spray dryer exhaust is at least partially recirculated to the spray dryer, or condensable vapors are removed from the spray dryer exhaust, or both. Optionally, a bleed from a recirculating exhaust stream may pass through a combustion chamber. Preferably, waste heat is added to the recirculating exhaust stream or used to evaporate water upstream of the spray dryer. In a case where the spray dryer is used to treat digestate, a biogas burner may provide the combustion chamber and a source of waste heat. The system and method reduce odors from spray dryer exhaust by condensing odorous compounds, by combustion, or both while using waste heat and spray dryer exhaust gas recirculation to reduce energy consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Ashwani KUMAR, Deonarine PHAGOO, Juan Carlos JOSSE
  • Patent number: 8832959
    Abstract: A wood chip drying system for drying wood chip includes a furnace, a drier for the wood chip and a recirculation apparatus for the recirculation of exhaust vapors into their drier. The recirculation apparatus has an exhaust vapor heater, and the wood chip drying system is designated to reduce organic compounds present in the exhaust vapor prior to the recirculation into the drier. The exhaust vapor heater includes a regenerative and/or catalytic heat exchanger which is arranged downstream after the drier and which is designated so as to heat up the exhaust vapor to a temperature which is high enough to oxidize at least a majority of particles present in the exhaust vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Kronotec AG
    Inventors: Joachim Hasch, Matthias Iredi
  • Publication number: 20140223765
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heating system (38) for warming a gaseous treatment medium (30, 40) for a device for treating a preferably strip-shaped article (12) by means of a gaseous treatment medium (40), comprising a heating device, a mixing chamber (54) for mixing at least one first, gaseous heating medium (49) heated by means of the gas burner, and the gaseous treatment medium (30) already used for treatment and recycled by the device. Said gaseous heating medium (49) can be introduced into the mixing chamber (54) such that when the gaseous medium (49) is introduced into the mixing chamber (54), vortexes are produced in the mixing chamber (54), which generate an intensive thorough-mixing of the gaseous heating medium (49) with the recycled gaseous treatment medium (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Inventor: Markus Böhn
  • Patent number: 8720080
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for drying a room within a building by sealing the room from outside ambient air ingress, heating the room internally, sensing humidity levels within the room, exhausting the air from within the room and drawing in outside ambient air, sensing water content within the room, and repeating the sequence until a dry status indication is received that the water content within the room has been reduced a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: DBK Technitherm Limited
    Inventors: Jonathan Robert Jayne, Mark Lee Robinson, Philip Harris, Daniel Court, Andrew Charles Habbershaw
  • Publication number: 20140082960
    Abstract: A laundry dryer (1) includes a closed-circuit, hot-air generator (5). The hot-air generator (5) is provided with a heat-pump assembly (11). The heat-pump assembly (11) in turn includes an evaporator (13) and a condenser (14). Refrigerant vapor-quality adjusting means (17) is structured for adjusting, at the refrigerant-outlet of the evaporator (13), the ratio between the amount of refrigerant in gaseous state and the whole amount of refrigerant. Detecting means are able to measure the current value of at least one physical quantity of the laundry dryer (1). An auxiliary refrigerant/refrigerant heat exchanger (18) is crossed, at the same time, by the high-pressure refrigerant directed towards the refrigerant expansion device (16), and by the low-pressure refrigerant coming out of the refrigerant-outlet of the evaporator (13), and is structured for transferring heat from the high-pressure refrigerant to the low-pressure refrigerant so to heat up the low pressure refrigerant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Alberto Bison, Francesco Cavarretta
  • Publication number: 20130125412
    Abstract: This sludge drying device is characterised in that a gas entraining a mix of sludge and sand is recycled after drying (6) and separation (8) to be compressed (10) and circulate again through the dryer (6) acting as a heat exchange fluid. Compression has been performed to increase the dew point temperature of the gas containing the evaporated moisture, such that the latent heat of evaporation can be recovered by the drying gas. The required operating power can then be much lower than the required power for evaporating the moisture contained in the sludge, because most of this power is recovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Inventor: Geert Haarlemmer
  • Patent number: 8393091
    Abstract: There is disclosed a substrate processing apparatus including a processing chamber housing a substrate, pipes for supplying gas into the processing chamber, and heaters provided in the middle of the pipes, and heating the gas. In the substrate processing apparatus, the heaters heat the gas to a temperature lower than a temperature at which exhaust gas is generated from the pipes to dry the substrate in the heated gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Tomokazu Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 8381414
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a dryer used to reduce the moisture content of sheet material. A drying chamber is provided and includes a plurality of drying sections and a single point exhaust system. A seal section located at the input end of the dryer includes an exhaust passage through which a gas sample is drawn by a sampling fan. Gases within the seal section are a combination of ambient air drawn through restricted passages at the entry to the seal section and exhaust gas that bleeds into the seal section from the drying chamber. A controller monitors the temperature of the sampled gases and ambient air and adjusts the rate of exhaust flow from the main exhaust system as a function of the temperature differential. A heating system is also provided for heating the seal exhaust gases above the pitch condensation temperature for the flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: USNR/Kockums Cancar Company
    Inventor: Bryan Wolowiecki
  • Publication number: 20130014678
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for drying pasty materials, in particular sludge from wastewater treatment plants, including a first indirect drying stage (1) supplied with a heat-transfer fluid, which outputs (1a, 1b) pre-dried sludge and water vapour; a step (6) of forming sludge at the outlet of the first stage, and a second stage of drying (7) pre-dried sludge that is heated by means of a heating gas, in particular air, said second stage producing (7b) dried sludge; at least one portion of the dried sludge produced by the second stage is incinerated (23) to produce thermal energy, and at least one portion of said thermal energy is used to heat the heat-transfer fluid of the first drying stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: Degremont
    Inventors: Peter Knoer, Bruce Stanley
  • Publication number: 20120317832
    Abstract: Energy efficiencies are achieved in a dryer or washer/dryer by selectively varying temperature ranges, time periods, heater power levels, and air flow rates. Efficiency improvements on the order of 16% were obtained over typical constant power, constant temperature, timed drying cycles by varying one or more of these parameters. Efficiencies can also be improved by drawing air from alternative warm sources such as an attic or warm external environment, or by heat recovery from dryer exhaust passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Venkat Ramprasad Lakkineni, Martin Mitchell Zentner, Sanjay Manohar Anikhindi, Steve Bernard Froelicher, Nicholas Okruch, JR., Michael Thomas Beyerle, Joshua Stephen Wiseman, Nemetalla Salameh
  • Patent number: 8286368
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for rationalizing the allocation of the heat energy generated from catalytic combustion process for enameling machines wherein a circulating fan is installed above the oven body in a position close to its middle portion; above the front area of the oven body is an organic waste-gas inlet and above which is a primary catalytic chamber. A hot-air allocation chamber is located on the side of the said primary catalytic chamber. The said circulating fan connects the said primary catalytic chamber and the hot-air allocation chamber, delivering the circulating hot air resulting from catalytic combustion into the hot-air allocation chamber which is further connected to the front area, middle area and back area of the oven body via the front air flue, middle air flue and back air flue. With rationalized distribution of heat energy, this invention accelerates the baking speed, thereby improving productivity by 20%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Dongguan Zelong Wire and Cable Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhide Ye, Benneng Chen, Junkai Sheng, Zhifang Chen, Guozhu Tang
  • Patent number: 8133327
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing method that prevents generation of watermarks on a substrate and can be performed at a low cost. The method controls the ambient humidity around the substrate depending on the kind of the chemical liquid, when the substrate is processed with the chemical liquid. The control of the humidity is performed at least in a drying step that dries the substrate W. In one embodiment, the ambient humidity around the substrate is controlled when a fluid containing IPA as a drying fluid is supplied to the substrate W after processing the substrate W with the chemical liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yoshichika Tokuno, Hiroshi Nagayasu
  • Patent number: 7975502
    Abstract: In a heat pump apparatus of the invention, a refrigerant is circulated through a compressor 31, a radiator 32, a first throttle apparatus 33, a heat exchanger 34, a second throttle apparatus 35 and an evaporator 36 in this order. The heat exchanger 34 can be utilized as both a radiator and an evaporator by operating the first throttle apparatus 33 and the second throttle apparatus 35. Therefore, even if the outside air temperature is high, discharge pressure and suction pressure of the compressor do not rise, the heat pump apparatus can be operated in a stable refrigeration cycle, and energy can be saved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoichiro Tamura, Yuuichi Yakumaru, Masaya Honma, Fumitoshi Nishiwaki
  • Patent number: 7765714
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing the VOC and CO content of dryer offgas that is discharged into the atmosphere from a moist organic product drying process using thermal oxidizing apparatus that includes a furnace, mixing chamber, thermal oxidizer, tempering chamber, and an indirect gas-to-gas heat exchanger. The dryer offgas is separated into two portions, with a larger portion being preheated by indirect heat exchange with the hot gaseous output from the thermal oxidizer. The non-preheated portion is directed to a rotary waste heat evaporator in which moisture is removed therefrom. The preheated portion is recycled to the hot gas inlet of the dryer and serves the function of dryer heat transfer media. By removing moisture from the non-preheated portion of the offgas that is directed to the thermal oxidizing apparatus, simultaneous achievement of thermal oxidizer temperatures of 1600° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Aeroglide Corporation
    Inventor: Richard L. Ronning
  • Patent number: 7726040
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for the uniform drying of boards, such as gypsum wallboards. The apparatus includes a dryer through which a series of boards are conveyed in a side-by-side relationship. While in the dryer, heated air is delivered over the boards via a series of separate air channels. A bypass duct delivers a portion of or a totality of unreheated air to the outermost channels where the cooler air displaces a volume of the warmer air. As a result, the air in the outermost channels is cooler than the air in the interior channels. Air from the outermost channels is then directed over the exposed longitudinal edges of the boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: CertainTeed Gypsum, Inc.
    Inventor: Felipe J. Yanes
  • Publication number: 20100126037
    Abstract: An energy-efficient method and apparatus for drying pelletized, moist organic material is described. The method consists of a rapid, high temperature static drying process in a shallow bed, followed by traditional vertical static drying in a deep bed. Hot exhaust gas from the shallow-bed, hot-temperature static dryer is then recirculated to provide thermal energy to the deep-bed, warn-temperature static dryer. This invention can be used to convert wet, organic waste materials such as animal and poultry waste, municipal wastewater sludge, urban post-consumer food waste, or manufactured food byproducts and residuals into solid fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Inventors: William H. Moss, Richard J. Romanek, JR.
  • Publication number: 20100107439
    Abstract: A drier for drying wet material includes a drying chamber receiving material to be dried. Heating fluid is flowed generally overall concurrently with the material through at least a portion of the chamber and drying fluid is flowed generally overall countercurrently relative to the material through at least part of the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Tri-Phase Drying Technologies, LLC, an Iowa Limited Liability Company
    Inventors: Steve D. Shivvers, Lloyd E. Lerew
  • Patent number: 7707741
    Abstract: A system and method for drying cavities loaded with high level waste (“HLW”) is devised. The invention utilizes a non-intrusive procedure that is based on monitoring the dew point temperature of a non-reactive gas that is circulated through the cavity. In one aspect, the invention is a method comprising: a) flowing a non-reactive gas through the cavity; b) repetitively measuring the dew point temperature of the non-reactive gas exiting the cavity; and c) upon the dew point temperature of the non-reactive gas exiting the cavity reaching and remaining below a predetermined dew point temperature for a predetermined time, discontinuing the flow of the non-reactive gas and sealing the cavity. In another aspect, the invention is a system designed to carry out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Inventor: Krishna Singh
  • Patent number: 7654011
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reducing the VOC, CO, and, alternatively, the NOx content of dryer offgas that is discharged into the atmosphere from a moist organic product drying process using thermal oxidizing apparatus that includes a burner, furnace, mixing chamber, thermal oxidizer, tempering chamber, and an indirect gas-to-gas heat exchanger. The dryer offgas is separated into two portions, with a larger portion being preheated by indirect heat exchange with the hot gaseous output from the thermal oxidizer. The non-preheated portion is directed to the burner in the function of flue gas recycle for NOx control. The preheated portion is separated into two portions, with one portion being directed to the furnace/mixing chamber of the thermal oxidizing apparatus. The other portion of the preheated offgas is recycled to the hot gas inlet of the dryer and serves the function of dryer heat transfer media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Ronning Engineering Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Ronning, Michael V. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20090288311
    Abstract: A method for drying a fibrous web, especially a paper, cardboard or tissue web, the moving web is treated with hot air from a hot air hood in the area of a upstream pre-defined drying zone, and is subsequent carried to the drying zone in a downstream drying cylinder, especially a Yankee-Cylinder, to which an additional hood is allocated and in whose area the fibrous web is dried further. The hot air for the hot air hood allocated to the upstream drying zone is recovered, at least partially, from the exhaust air of the hood allocated to the downstream drying cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Inventors: Luiz C. Da Silva, Thomas Scherb, Ronaldo Parucker, Oswaldir Rizzatto
  • Publication number: 20090193679
    Abstract: A method for roasting a load of plant biomass, includes the following stages: generation of a treatment gas stream by a thermal generating apparatus, the treatment gas stream being an inert gas consisting essentially of CO2; generation of a bed of material at high temperature, called the thermal base; treatment of the load of biomass with the treatment gas stream, the treatment gas stream being laden with gaseous components including a water steam and volatile organic compounds originating from the load of biomass during the treatment; and recycling of at least a portion of the water steam by passing at least a portion of the laden gas stream through the thermal base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventor: Raymond Guyomarc'h
  • Publication number: 20090158614
    Abstract: A system and method for preparing a container holding high level radioactive waste for dry storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Krishna P. Singh, John D. Griffiths
  • Publication number: 20080282575
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the drying of water-containing, preferably plate-shaped products in a throughflow dryer in multi-level construction, and such a dryer for carrying out the method. The invention aims to suck away moist air stagnated under the housing (2) in a dyer of the above mentioned type and to transport this moist air into the suction area (12) of the axial blowers (9) arranged in the lower levels, and thereupon to differentially admix moist air into a quantity of drying air and deliver it to the nozzle boxes (5) of the dryer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: LINDAUER DORNIER GESELLSCHAFT MBH
    Inventors: Alfred Dotzler, Anton Hecht
  • Publication number: 20080277027
    Abstract: A thermal method for stabilizing a load of wood, in particular timber, including: a phase of treatment of the load of wood in a treatment kiln by a gaseous treatment flow; generation of a gaseous treatment flow at high temperature from a heat generator independent of the treatment kiln and recovery of the loaded gaseous flow after treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Bernon, Alain Dulac, Raymond Guyomarc'h
  • Publication number: 20080060217
    Abstract: What is described is a process and an installation for drying articles, in particular painted vehicle bodies, in which the articles are moved through a drying zone in which they are hardened in an inert-gas atmosphere. Inert gas is taken from the drying zone constantly or intermittently and is first of all conducted along a first face which is at a first temperature at which higher-boiling contaminants condense out. The condensate that forms in the process is discharged. After that, the inert gas which has been pre-cleaned in this way is conducted along at least one second face which is at a lower temperature than the first face. Lower-boiling contaminants are precipitated at this point. These condensates, too, are then discharged. This process and installation work more favourably, energy-wise, and with higher cleaning efficiency than known processes and installations of a similar type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Applicant: EISENMANN ANLAGENBAU GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Werner Swoboda, Andreas Keller
  • Patent number: 7100303
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and a method for heat treatment of lignocellulosic material. The apparatus comprises a treatment chamber and devices for circulating and recovering gases from the treatment chamber such as to provide a uniform temperature within the chamber and allow efficient drying of the material. This is achieved by injecting and recovering the gases from at least two sides of the treatment chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: PCI Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Bernon, Bernard Robert, Fabrice Robert, Jacky Drevet
  • Patent number: 6910285
    Abstract: This invention provides a dried singulated cellulose pulp fiber product as well as an apparatus and a method for forming singulated and dried fibers. In accordance with the process a feed pulp is delivered to a jet drier. The jet drier singulates and dries the feed pulp. The singulated and dried fibers are collected from the jet drier. The feed pulp may be treated with a treatment substance. The jet drier may be maintained at negative pressure. The product fibers may have low knot count, a low fines count, as well improved kink, curl and twist. The apparatus for carrying out the process may include a pretreatment station for supplying the treatment substance, a pulp feed device designed for pulp, a pulp feed device designed for pulp and foam suspensions, and/or a fiber separation station having a vacuum conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Michael David Vrbanac, Ramon Charles Dezutter, Brian Wester, Michael James Yancey
  • Patent number: 6484417
    Abstract: An improved dryer (10) and drying methods are provided which increase overall dryer efficiency by maintaining substantially constant output air stream adiabatic saturation ratio and temperature values during the course of drying, notwithstanding the occurrence of upset conditions. The dryer (10) includes a dryer body (12), an input air heater assembly (14) including an air heater (32), and a control assembly (18). The dryer body (12) has a drying zone (30), with product inputs and outputs (20, 22) as well as an input (26) for a heated air stream and an output (28) for the cooled, moisture-laden output air stream. The dryer control assembly (18) includes temperature and humidity sensors (48, 50) coupled to controllers (54, 60) and a PLC (66). The controller (54) is coupled with an exhaust fan/damper unit (46) while controller (60) is connected with a fuel valve (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Wenger Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Tedman, Douglas Clark
  • Patent number: 6415528
    Abstract: A drying device for drying bulk material has one or more storage containers for the bulk material and a heating device for heating the drying air for drying the bulk material. A drying air conduit is connected to the heating device and the storage containers and guides the drying air to the storage containers. One or more first mixing valves are arranged in the drying air conduit upstream of the storage containers, wherein the first mixing valves are used to adjust the temperature of the drying air before the drying air enters the storage containers. The heating device has also the function of regenerating the drying units provided for removing the moisture from the drying air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Motan Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Höller, Holger Kühnau, Frank Fischer, Carl Litherland
  • Patent number: 6357144
    Abstract: Method for drying wood raw material (10) by means of hot gases (20) supplied to the drying process, in which VOC, apart from water, evaporate from the wood raw material into the gases. The drying process is divided and carried out in at least two sub-steps (I, II), from which process gas (22, 33) is removed separately, and the drying process is thus controlled that VOC evaporate during one of the sub-steps, and the VOC are concentrated to this sub-step. The temperature of the gas containing VOC is increased to a temperature exceeding 180° C. before VOC are oxidized catalytically at said elevated temperature, in order to reduce the discharge of VOC from the drying process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Valmet Fibertech AB
    Inventors: Lars Nilsson, Stefan Backa, Ulf Persson
  • Patent number: 5983521
    Abstract: A process for drying a wet material in a drying system includes supplying a current of heated gas to a dryer from a combustion chamber. The material is exposed to the current in the dryer. The dried material is separated from the current of heated gas. The current of heated gas is split into a first stream of heated gas and a second stream of heated gas after the dried material has been separated. The first stream of heated gas is introduced into the combustion chamber so that the first stream is further oxidized therein. A third stream of heated gas is removed from the combustion chamber. The third stream includes at least a portion of the first stream. The second stream of heated gas is introduced into the combustion chamber so that it makes up a portion of the current conveyed to the dryer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Beloit Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley P. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5970625
    Abstract: An automated air filtration and drying system including an energy and environmental management system for controlling, monitoring and supervising the operation and performance of the air filtration and drying system, a capture apparatus for capturing and controlling overspray, and a drying/curing control module for rapidly drying a painted article using a continuously filtered and dehumidified flow of recycled air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Optimum Air Corporation
    Inventors: Fred G. Scheufler, Richard D. Scheufler, William H. Bayard
  • Patent number: 5966838
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for drying material, particularly sludges, with indirectly heated driers includes a system for the thermal decontamination of exhaust air from the drier. Excess exhaust air from the drier loop is fed as secondary air to the heating boiler or furnace separately from the primary air for combustion of the fuel and to thermally clean the exhaust air from the drier. The exhaust drier gas from the drier remains in the furnace for a period to decontaminate the drier gas, after which it is mixed with the flue gases. The mixture is then removed from the furnace. The system is suitable for operation under normal operating temperatures and at low, below normal operating temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Andritz-Patentverwaltungs-Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventors: Georg Krebs, Erwin Brunnmair, Peter Commerford
  • Patent number: 5899004
    Abstract: A furnace is set to the floor section where wastes such as wood chips, scrapped wood, or wood pieces are put, flammable wastes such as planer chips, plane chips, bark, branches and leaves, or waste paper are arranged as an ignition material so as to cover the upper and lower sides of the wastes. Several resistant steel lids are lain one upon another on the upper side of the furnace so that heat and smoke can pass through the gap between the lids. The ignition material is ignited and inside combustion material is incompletely burned keeping the central portion of green-wood stacked on the upper side in a range of 75 to 80.degree. C. The green-wood is smoking-seasoned at a low temperature by supplying smoke and hot air to the wood and the stacked wood is seasoned at a low temperature by convection blowers arranged at various positions in the indoor temperature adjusting damper and the room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Kodaijin Sugaoka Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Sugaoka, Shin Niiyama, Hitoshi Sugaoka, Taku Sugaoka
  • Patent number: 5813135
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a coaxial waveguide applicator for an electromagnetic wave-activated sorption system which comprises at least one sorber having a metallic tubular housing defining an outer conductor and first and second ends which are sealed to define an enclosure within the outer conductor; a sorbate/sorbent compound located within the enclosure; the sorber including a port through which a sorbate may be communicated into or out of the enclosure; a metallic inner conductor extending into the outer conductor and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sorber; an electromagnetic wave generator; and a waveguide for coupling electromagnetic waves generated by the electromagnetic wave generator to the inner and outer conductors; wherein electromagnetic waves transmitted by the electromagnetic wave generator are propagated through the enclosure by the inner and outer conductors to desorb the sorbate from the sorbate/sorbent compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
    Inventors: Neville A. Michie, David H. Tester
  • Patent number: 5731157
    Abstract: An allergen immunoassay method features the use of a combination of a) closely controlled 1) elevated temperatures for assay reactions, 2) low temperatures for reagents and samples, 3) times for assay steps and especially assay reaction times, 4) reagent concentrations, and 5) reagent amounts; b) the use of a fast and accurate method of sample preparation that removes dust and contaminants; c) the stabilization of samples to avoid auto- and antibody degradation and unwanted effects of sample contaminants; and d) the formation of a colored product to determine the amount of a specific allergen. This combination provides an assay that can be completed in a few hours while retaining the precision, accuracy, sensitivity and response curve of previous methods requiring much longer periods of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: The Procter and Gamble Company
    Inventors: Larry S. Miller, Balwant S. Bhullar, Richard S. Tuttle, Victor S. Moore
  • Patent number: 5657553
    Abstract: A substrate drying apparatus comprises a treatment vessel for containing IPA in the form of liquid, an IPA source for supplying IPA into the treatment vessel, a first heat exchanger which is equipped with a heat exchanger tube dipped in IPA and allowing steam to pass therein, the first heat exchanger allowing the steam and IPA to perform heat exchange therebetween to thereby evaporate IPA, and a second heat exchanger provided on or above an upper portion of the treatment vessel and equipped with a heat exchanger tube for allowing a coolant to pass therein, the second heat exchanger allowing the coolant and the evaporated IPA to perform heat exchange therebetween to thereby condense the evaporated IPA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Kimmon Quartz Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Tarui, Hiromitsu Asano, Hajime Onoda
  • Patent number: 5636449
    Abstract: A tube dryer system is used to remove moisture from solid commercial products. The present apparatus includes a condensate vessel that separates condensed steam from excess steam. The excess steam is passed through a thermocompressor and combined with incoming fresh steam to produce a combined steam feed stream having a higher flow rate at only slightly reduced pressure and reduced superheat content, resulting in increased dryer capacity and reduced steam losses with no increase in energy costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: General Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen T. Gaddis, Thomas B. Barker
  • Patent number: 5603168
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a dryer used to reduce the moisture content of sheet material such as a jet veneer dryer. A drying chamber is provided and includes a plurality of individual, juxtaposed drying sections. Each drying section circulates air in a path substantially transverse to the path of movement through the dryer. A single point exhaust system extracts the exhaust from the first drying section. A wet seal section located at the input end of the dryer includes an exhaust passage through which a gas sample is drawn by a sampling fan. Gases within the wet seal section are a combination of ambient air drawn through restricted passages at the entry to the wet seal section and exhaust gas that bleeds into the wet seal section from the drying chamber. A controller monitors the temperature of the sampled gases and ambient air and adjusts the rate of exhaust flow from the main exhaust system as a function of the temperature differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: The Coe Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Irven J. McMahon, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5588222
    Abstract: In a process for drying material in a drying system, a first current of heated gas is supplied to a first dryer from a corresponding first combustion chamber. Material to be dried is exposed to the first current in the first dryer. The dried material is separated from the first current of heated gas. The first current of heated gas is split into a first stream of heated gas and a second stream of heated gas after the dried material has been separated. The first stream is introduced into the first combustion chamber so that the gas generated in the first combustion chamber and the first stream are combined to constitute the first current of heated gas. At least a portion of the second stream is introduced into the second combustion chamber. A second current of heated gas is supplied to a second dryer from the second combustion chamber. The portion of the second stream introduced into the second combustion chamber constitutes a portion of the second current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Beloit Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley P. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5456022
    Abstract: A drier having a boxlike housing (12) for receiving a hopper (13) therein which contains a batch of wet sludge. The hopper (13) cooperates with the housing, when closed therein, to define a closed air recirculation system which supplies dry pressurized warm air into an air-receiving chamber (79) located at the bottom of the hopper. The air passes upwardly through a perforated bottom wall (78) into and through the sludge to remove moisture therefrom. The moist air passes upwardly through the open top of the hopper, through a filter and is supplied to a drying unit (34) located in the housing for removing moisture therefrom, which moisture is externally discharged. The drying unit resupplies the dry air back to the drying chamber formed in the hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: JWI, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. McLeod, David J. Spyker, Daniel De Haan, Greg De Haan, Wesley G. Koops, James E. Roelofs
  • Patent number: 5367787
    Abstract: A drying machine has a drying chamber for drying an article cleaned with an inflammable solvent as a detergent. A hot air supply channel communicates with the drying chamber and a heater is mounted in the hot air supply channel. A hot air evacuation channel communicates with the drying chamber and a hot air transfer device is mounted at a voluntary portion of the hot air supply channel and the hot air evacuation channel. A control device is provided for driving control of the heater. A first temperature sensor is mounted on the downstream side of the heater in the hot air supply channel and a second temperature sensor is mounted at a position shifted to the drying chamber in the hot air evacuation channel. The control device controls the heater so that the difference in the temperature detected by the first temperature sensor and the temperature detected by the second temperature sensor is kept within a safe temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiko Ikeda, Toshiaki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: RE39271
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for drying plastic pellets utilizes a venturi air mover (20) in a recirculation loop communicating with a drying hopper (10) containing the plastic pellets. A portion of moist air flow in the recirculation loop is vented to the ambient atmosphere upstream of the venturi air mover. A conventional source of compressed air (16) is dried and supplied to the venturi air mover to provide the exclusive motive power for moving air through the recirculation loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Universal Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert R. Crawford